Photography and Video

Chris joins Leo to talk about another factor in photography: placement. Similar to composition, the question is always "where do I place the subject in the photo?" This determines what the photo is about and is always related to something else. This could be something in or outside the frame. The background is always in relation to the subject in the foreground, no matter what the photographer is focused on. 

Here are images to illustrate: https://tfttf.com/placement

Chris Marquardt joins Leo to talk about Macro Photography. Macro is essentially taking an image extremely close up, where the small image is essentially full size in the frame. Macro usually is accompanied by a very shallow depth of field.  Do you need a special lens for close up photography? Well, not really. You can take it with your smartphone. But there are some issues. The first is light. You have to get so close that you become your own shadow source. Many close up photographers get a dedicated ring light to illuminate the subject.

Chris joins Leo to talk about volumetric light. Light can have a shape and you have to be at the right place at the right time to capture it. So it helps to always have a camera with you. It also takes down contrast, making blacks less black. A point light source and some fog or mist contribute to it. It's also known as "God rays." It's why concerts tend to use fog machines to create volumetric light on stage. Dust is another contributor to volumetric light. It can be seen in caves and canyons when light emanates from a hole.

Today, Chris joins Leo to talk about using layers in photography. Layers make depth. So if you consider foreground, middle, and background as layers, you can create depth in your photo composition, making your photographs more interesting. Lenses can also make a difference. Layers in telephoto will look differently than layers with a wide-angle. Wider apertures flatten out the layers, while smaller apertures can create bokeh (out of focus background): depth of field. The photographer can also lead the eye with focus to be sharper and in focus, while the background and foreground are not.